Kannur cops arrest five people accused of attacking Karnataka CM’s convoy

Three of the five accused were DYFI workers while the other two belonged to the Youth Congress.
Kannur cops arrest five people accused of attacking Karnataka CM’s convoy
Kannur cops arrest five people accused of attacking Karnataka CM’s convoy

The Kannur special branch has arrested five persons who have been accused of attacking the convoy of Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa while he was in the city to offer prayers at a few temples on Monday. The Karnataka CM had arrived in Kannur and was on his way to a temple when the incident took place at Pazhayangadi.

According to Kannur special branch DYSP, three out of the five accused were workers of DYFI, the youth wing of the CPI(M), while two others belonged to the Youth Congress. 

Video clips tweeted by BJP workers on Monday showed around 20 activists blocking the convoy of the Chief Minister. When they identified the car that Yediyurappa was in, a few of them charged at the vehicle, waving black flags in protest. At least one person was seen hitting the car’s bonnet with a flag.  Several protestors were also yelling ‘Go Back’ ‘Go Back’.

“We have only arrested the five persons that can be seen attacking the cars in the visuals. Their arrests were registered on Wednesday and they have not been remanded to judicial custody,” the Special Branch DYSP told TNM.

Several sections under the IPC including assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharging duty and unlawful assembly have been charged against the accused. 

Initially the police took into custody 28 people belonging to SFI (student wing of CPI(M)), DYFI, Youth Congress and KSU (student wing of Congress) for waving black flags, raising slogans and blocking the Karnataka Chief Minister’s convoy. After arresting those accused of vandalism, the police let go the rest on bail.

Following the incident Yediyurappa tweeted, “This is the work of someone with mischievous intent. I am a person who has always believed in God and my visit to Kerala was a personal one. Just because a few miscreants made a mistake, it would be wrong to condemn all people from Kerala. An incident in god’s own country would bring down the reputation of the state.” 

A source close to the CM also added that Yediyurappa’s security persons in the first convoy tried to push the protestors away. When the protestors realised that it was not the CM in the car, they identified the Innova and started hitting the right side where he was seated. 

The protestors who attacked the convoy were agitating against the illegal detention of Kerala journalists at Mangaluru when they went to cover the death of 2 persons in suspected police firing during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. 

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